Hungry for success

A hospitality, food and enterprise centre has opened on the Orpington Campus at Bromley College.

Chris and James Tanner officially open the kitchens at the centre

The centre features kitchens, classrooms, a student-run restaurant and conference facilities, split over three floors. The restaurant, named BR6, is scheduled to open in January 2015.

Students aged between 14 and 19 will use the facility, training for vocational hospitality and catering qualifications alongside core curriculum GCSEs.

Around 100 pupils have joined the college initially, with the aim to create places for up to 5,000 by year four.

Principal of Bromley College, Sam Parrett, said: "Our two campuses in Bromley and Orpington have both undergone a huge transformation in the last few years, and our new hospitality training facilities here at our Orpington Campus will provide a hugely valuable resource for our students."

Celebrity chefs Chris and James Tanner, who are patrons of the college, visited the campus on 9 October 2014, where they officially opened the kitchens and met with students who demonstrated their cooking skills to the duo.

Parrett said: “We are so pleased to have the backing of two amazing and innovative chefs, who run a very successful business as well. Our students will gain huge benefits from Chris and James's input and patronage of our restaurant and we are really grateful to them for giving their time and backing to the next generation of hospitality industry stars.”